Soldiers' kit on enlistment 1939

[Brewins girl]

I'm trying to find an authentic list of items of uniform (and kit) issued to conscripts at the beginning of the war. I'm looking for detail such as underwear and personal items with quantities rather than weaponry.  I recall seeing a list on demobilisation so wonder if there is one (maybe in a museum somewhere?) at the other end of the soldier's life as a conscript

[Crumblie]

I can tell you part of the underwear which was first issued in 1943 and that was drawers, cellular which were horrible things and they were still around in the late 1960s/early 1970s. They were also known as shreddies.

[Bee]

deleted, getting the wars mixed up
 

[Erato]

Not really on topic, and a different army, but this reminds me of what my father said he was given by the Red Cross when he boarded the troop ship in NY, headed for England in 1943:  a cup of coffee, a donut, a paperback Dorothy Sayers novel and a little kit of toiletries which included a tiny cardboard canister of talcum powder.which he didn't use and kept on the shelf in his bathroom till the day he died, two years ago.

[Brewins girl]

Sorry Crumblie - thought I'd replied to your comment.
My husband remembers 'drawers cellular' from National Service days too.

Can you tell me why they were called 'shreddies' please?

[medpat]

They called them shreddies because they shredded when the army men marched and with the RAF they found they shredded due to the rough material that their trousers were made of

[ShaunJ]

Another possible explanation of the term "shreddies" is that the loose weave from which the "drawers, cellular" were made was very similar to the weave of Shreddies breakfast cereal.

[Crumblie]

They called them shreddies because they shredded when the army men marched and with the RAF they found they shredded due to the rough material that their trousers were made of

Another possible explanation of the term "shreddies" is that the loose weave from which the "drawers, cellular" were made was very similar to the weave of Shreddies breakfast cereal.

I never knew why they were called shreddies but both suggestions describe them perfectly. They were certainly the amongst the first bits of kit you stopped wearing as soon as possible.

[Brewins girl]

Decidedly uncomfortable!